Stovebolt.com Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1951 3100 door lock

why does my 1951 3100 only have one outside door lock and it is on the passenger side ??

thanks

Because that is how they came from the factory.

I think that’s been discussed before as a safety feature so you don’t get your hiney peeled off while locking the driver’s door.

So you can lock the vehicle and exit on the curb side, away from traffic.

Also, since you'll be going around to passenger side to open the door and help your wife out of the truck, you can lock it. Your side will aleready be locked.

On my 58/59`s the key lock is on the drivers side.
Blank on the passenger side/no key.
Passenger locks from the inside ,pushing handle forward.
Drivers side has key hole. Every truck from those years I've seen are like that.

My wife hasn't been in my truck in years. No heated/AC seats, too much noise, etc.

This is too funny.

Even back then then. Must have been a "safety" concern in those big cities.

Both my 58 and my 59 are the opposite. Driver locks from the inside with the handle and passenger outside with a key.

I guess my 3 are odd.
Are the locks reversable? meaning passenger will fit drivers side.
trucks are not used in the cities much and back then there was not alot of traffic
to worry about getting "clipped".
I don`t get unlocking the passenger side and reaching thru to unlock drivers side.
2 are panel work trucks. I do appreciate the gas tank on the passenger side
with the panels in case you run out of gas and have to add.

Trying to remember from old movies, didn't everyone get IN on the driver's side? No real memories of my own as we didn't have a car until I was 12. No one we knew had a truck ... a few station wagons, tho: Dad's, lady next door, family across the street. Mostly to haul a pile of kids; lady: a pile of dogs.




Dan's gonna move this thread to the Spoon if I don't quit interrupting with chatter.

I have been told that they are.

I have a spare door that I intend to take apart and verify this summer. If it is reversible, I will take some pics and write up a process for adding the locks to the d4iver side.

From what I have read (I wasn't even a glimmer in someones eye in the AD years and barely "hatched" in '59 at the tail end of the TF years ), the location of the cab door locks was based on "safety" concerns of the time.

Don't get me to lying about what any of the "powers that be" were thinking back then to decide where the respective lock locations would be, but agree that the AD years was probably from concerns over "skinned hiney's" (or worse) with most roads/city streets being narrow and not much room for curb parking. The TF years probably saw changes with roads being widened for the big increase in vehicles/traffic as well as folks may have just decided having to unlock from curb-side was too cumbersome.

I will leave the conversation open for further input, perhaps from others that have more knowledge than I, bit this one has about run it's course.

Have a great day everyone!

Dan

Anyone know what year door locks began to show up on automobiles?

The '29 Model A I had had door locks. They were probably on earlier models as well. As for Dan's comments about being only right side, I believe the locks on that Ford were on both sides.
I once rented a Lincoln Town Car back in the late 90's and it only had a lock on the passenger side door.

I don`t know much , but I do know I am a retired master locksmith at 60
that started work at my Aunt and Uncles locksmith shop at 17 years old.
I`ve pulled more GM columns than I care to remember. Made more keys to non-GM
locks by the art of "impressioning" as well. (Blank key ,vise grips and a rattail file.)
Even won some ALOA awards in the field in my day.
I don`t recall keyways being on the passenger side only.
Makes little sense to reach over the seat to unlock the drivers side lock.

Just sayin.

Peggy: Lots of old movies had the driver sliding across to/from the passenger's door.

Once you get to push button handles in '52, the locking exterior button can be moved to either side. Some of the vendors sell a set of 2 locking buttons with matching keys. You turn-down handle guys have to put up with passenger-side keys only.

I don't lock any of my vehicles, ever.

There's nothing in them to steal and I don't want anybody breaking something if they want to get in to look for something to steal. I don't even roll up windows unless its raining.

Kevin,

I was only referring to the Chevy and GMC AD era trucks in my comments about door locks on the passenger side and not driver side.

My Grandpa's '51 is that way. To clarify the AD door lock info I could find, '47-'51 AD Trucks came standard with R-hand keyed door locks separate from the turn-down style door handle assembly. Beginning in '52, with the change of door handle style to the push-button design that allowed for a keyed lock cylinder in the push button, AD trucks through '55.1 (1st Series) came standard with the R-hand door lock, with the L-hand door lock being offered as an option.

It obviously made sense to the folks that designed the setups back then, but that was then and this is now. Things change.

Hope this clears up any misunderstandings. Moving on...

Dan